Tuesday, December 29, 2009

A New Years Greeting and Poem

Another fresh new year is here . . .
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,


To love and laugh and give!







This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest . . .
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!





I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!”

William Arthur Ward











Happy New Years to everyone, aloha!



Noel







Sunday, December 20, 2009

A Merry Christmas Greeting

Aloha Plant Friends,

I'm now flying back to visit friends and family back on the mainland in the Bay Area/San Francisco region and l'm looking forward to seeing the new natural science museum, the SF arboretum, and hopefully some gardens that are not in a frozen state during my visits. If anyone has any helpful tips on whats available to visit, please send me a note?

Here's a cheerful video take in Hawaiian of the Twelve Days of Christmas.....very funny.


Have a Merry Christmas and happy garden dreams for the New Year!

Noel

Friday, December 18, 2009

Lets Try Some Exotic Fruit at the Farmers Market.

I'm traveling to another local farmers market in Hilo Town on the Big Island to explore and taste some of our more exotic fruits that we have to offer on the Island. There are alot of fruit growers on the island and the farmers market here in Hilo is the largest. It is open seven days a week, but it is the most active on Wednesdays and Saturdays when they also have the adjoining facility open for tourist gifts and other local handi-crafts.


Here are some of the more exotic and not so unusual fruits we currently have in season.

Come and try this Mamey Sapote, it has red flesh with creamy and sometimes grainy texture that tastes like bananas and yogurt combined, very subtle flavors.









This is a Rambutan fruit which grows in clusters and is a similar fruit to the lychee. The fruit tastes like a more flavorful lychee and has a flowery aroma.
















Oh, you should try this one, its one of my favorites called a atemoya, doesn't it look scaly and daunting. The flesh is very creamy and tastes like a pineapple, guava and banana combination, and its smells heavenly.









Here's another favorite of mine called Rollinias, the flesh is white and soft custardy. A combination tast of guava, banana and passion fruit.









Have you ever seen this fruit? Its called an egg fruit, boy the flavors on this one are a little bit harder to describe, kind of like a combination of a plum and papaya








Here's another unusual fruit that is in season called an abiu, it has a large seed and the flesh is white and creamy, again a mix of plum and pineapple flavors.









Oh, we get alot of fruit from this tree when its in season, its called a star fruit and most restaurants use this typically as a garnish because it cuts up perfectly into a start shape, the fruit is pretty mellow, like a crunchy apple







Wow, that was a lot to sample, wasn't that great, now you know what to pick up on your own when you come over to visit the farmers market in Hilo Town, aloha.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Saturday, December 12, 2009

A Saturday Walk Around Hilo Bay




Aloha,




My friend Devany (A fantastic food blogger) and I take regular walks around the Hilo bay front early in the morning. Your welcome to join us if you feel like seeing some of the bay this morning and doing some brisk walking, I promise it will be a great walk.


Here's where we usually start along the bay front. This is where all the canoe clubs in Hilo keep their large canoes so the teams can practise along the bay, its a big sport here.










Its a very pretty warm day today and just a few clouds in the sky.




 We cross a few bridges along our hike and even go to a little island off the point called Coconut Island and of course its filled with coconut trees.










Aren't the views here beautiful? Everyone seems to be out on the water today.













There's a large schooner that just came into the bay a few days ago and makes a striking contrast to the mountains.







I love walking pass these dramatic autograph trees everytime we pass by Coconut Island.





 

I know they have alot of old stories to tell, please tell me?





We also walk next to this beautiful Japanese Garden adjoining the bay front, its really beautiful at different times of the day. I'll have to do a separate post on this park soon!








Well we usually do our two laps around the park and Coconut Island so time to head on back to our cars...alot of shopping to do at the Hilo Farmers Market this morning also.


Thanks for joining us on our walk, it was fun!






















Thursday, December 10, 2009

My Holiday Decoration for Christmas



I'm keeping it pretty simple as far as christmas decorations this season since I'll be going back to the mainland to visit family and friends during the holidays.

While I was at the farmers market in Hilo, I just picked up this nice simple christmas bouquet for only $4.00, it will make a nice centerpiece to a simple lunch I'm doing for some Ohana (close friends) this weekend.

Now, take a look at a video I was watching last night of what some people do thats over the top outdoor christmas decorating and music combined....enjoy!






Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Here's to Wishing You Warmer Thoughts Through THe Cold Winter Holidays




It seems to be cold and icy wind conditions are making daily activities very uncomfortable and even difficult, from what I'm hearing friends and family are saying about the frigid winter weather across a large segment of the mainland from the west coast to the east.

Here's to wishing you warm thoughs from our Islands to give you some respite from the icy temperatures, at least through a virtual tropical experience with some beautiful tropical flora.

Enjoy our warm water and beaches..







Wordless Wednesdays
























Monday, December 7, 2009

Its Time for our Annual Christmas Parade....Whopeeeeeee!




Well can you believe its time to celebrate Christmas in Pahoa, although Pahoa Punatics (da locals) consider it polictically correct to call it the Pahoa Holiday Celebration. This is to include all the different religions and nationalities in this community and boy was there a real hodge podge of participants, performers and  Punatics....what a show!


Here are some of the fun highlights...



Whats a parade without some clowns and a pony....giddy-up horsey....






OOOOh yummy its ginger bread sweets from the boys/girls club.





Have a Harry Krishna Christmas.....hummmmmmm.....










Aaaaaaw, its the little doggie christmas yappies!









Oh wow, even the mermaids are coming out to
celebrate a fun parade..





Ho`okupu – to sprout, grow, increase; To cause growth...







No one told me I have to hula hoop all the waaaay
to the end....uuuuugh!




Have a Shaka (cool) Christmas....Mommy go faster !!!






 There's always a funny moment on a parade in Pahoa town.





Howdy... Paniolo Girls wish you a big Aloooooha Christmas!







Doesn't my horsey and I look great in lots of tinsel?







Yeah I wore this for Halloween also, but I still wanted to dress up for any parade!







We're clapping for Santa...Everyone stand up, he's coming !!!







In Pahoa, Santa comes into town on an outrigger canoe festuned with lots of tropical flowers.














These tropical flowers are the real thing on these floats,

real aloha!




Thanks for the fun Holiday Parade Pahoa Town...
see you next year, aloooooha!
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